December’s Nourishing Newsletter

Happy December Ya’ll!  It’s been one year since I began writing this newsletter! I have put a lot of time, energy and knowledge into this newsletter!  I started the Nourishing Newsletter when I was launching my health coaching business, Nourish Your Health.  I wanted to write on topics that my clients, and future clients could use as a resource for living a nourishing life.  Now, fast forward one year I have launched a second business, Maryville Yoga Shala, a Yoga studio in my hometown, Maryville, TN.

At the end of Nourishing Newsletter’s year #1  I am examining my desires for this newsletter in 2019.  Through this year I have seen my “type A” personality come out.  Publishing this newsletter on the 1st of each month come rain or shine, while launching a second new business, and with several health up’s and down’s it’s showed me this was a commitment I held dear.  This newsletter has been priority and an anchor in keeping wellness and healthy habits in my life!  It has taken discipline and focus when I didn’t    a) have time and b) didn’t have readers reading encouraging me to write on.

Now onto the topic for the last newsletter of 2018…..harnessing the power of GRATITUDE AND INTENSION!  So, through all the commitments and challenges that this year brought, my choice is to be Grateful for the ability to write, Grateful for the knowledge to impart, Grateful for the time to write and Grateful for you to take the time to read.

 THE ART OF GRATITUDE

The Holidays can be a very lonely, anxiety-producing time of the year.  It can evoke sadness and grief and make us feel isolated and depressed.  So many of us have lost loved ones which makes the holidays an especially trying time.  Or even losing security financially or physically in that we no longer have the resources to “afford” or “enjoy” the holidays.  So what are we to do with these circumstances?  We are still called to be present, to love and to serve.  Whether from a Christian, Hebrew, Buddhist or Hindu faith we are all called to be a better person, forgive, give and love.  To choose and take steps daily in our lives with Faith not fear, with Love not greed, with Service not ego.  Hence gratitude…When we live with a feeling of gratitude towards all we have, and even all we have lost we are present, living mindfully and are able to grasp the eluding concept of impermanence.

I recently lost someone who was very pivotal in my life.  This person lived a wonderful life, had a beautiful family and was a cornerstone in my community.  When his life was taken suddenly from a freak accident it left such a void in so many’s hearts.  What has come from this is nothing short of God’s Grace.  His family and closest friends remain  engaged and choose to live every day 100% fully.  It’s not to say there isn’t grief and sorrow, but there is gratitude and joy for what this man brought to those that knew and loved him.  So how do we cultivate more gratitude even when the tough is unbearable and the road seems uncertain? That is the work, and that is where these steps can empower one to live in the now and from a place of deep love.

Ways to Incorporate More Gratitude in Your Life. 

Acts of Service. Doing acts of service without any expectations or desired outcomes can shift ones mind from have not to have.  The act of helping and providing time is sure to increase your own gratitude for what we do have.

Write a Thank-you Note. You can make yourself happier and nurture your relationship with another person by writing a thank-you letter expressing your enjoyment and appreciation of that person’s impact on your life. Send it, or better yet, deliver and read it in person if possible. Make a habit of sending at least one gratitude letter a month. Once in a while, write one to yourself.

Keep Journal. Make it a habit to write down your thoughts daily.  And in this act of writing take the time to reflect on the blessings in your life.  Sometimes it helps to pick a number — such as three to five things — that you will identify each entry, or once or so a week.  As you write, be specific and think about the feelings you felt when something good happened to you. I also encourage you to  write about the tough times and how they have impacted you.  When we air-out our pain whether it is on paper or verbally with someone we can confide in we are able to step back and re-group.  This can be a cathartic experience, literally lightening our load, guiding us to come back to gratitude for all of our experiences.

Pray and Meditate. Praying and Meditating brings us to a place of pure consciousness and calm. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. Although people often focus on a word or phrase (such as “peace or Om”), it is also possible to focus on what you’re grateful for (the warmth of the sun, a pleasant sound, etc.).  When we take our mind that is normally a busy ocean and turn it into a calm lake we can see the bottom and find “peace of mind.”

THE ART OF INTENTION

I am a big believer in manifesting your destiny.  Realistically I also know that we are not in control of all things.  But we can certainly use visualization and take steps towards creating a life we want.  Take my yoga studio for example.  I have been intending to open my own studio for over twenty years.  When I tried that long ago I kept hitting brick walls so I decided to keep teaching, and living a yogic lifestyle while never giving up on my long-term goal.  It took the right situation, the right resources, the right partner, and the right community for this to happen.  But when I took that leap of faith and kept my original intention close to my heart things clicked and moved along so beautifully.  It was if God and all of the stars aligned to make this dream a reality.

Ways to Incorporate Intention in Your Life:

Vision Boards and Journaling. I love vision boards and journaling.  I encourage you as we close up 2018 and head towards 2019 to take time and put together a “what I want to manifest” journal and or a vision-board.  Not only is it fun to dream and plan, but it allows you to feel what your life can be like when you are living close to your dreams, i.e. what will make your heart and soul sing.  And when things take us off track, as inevitably life does from time to time, we can go back to our vision boards and our manifesting journal for the gentle nudge that we need to keep forging forward.

Align Your Life in Ways that Support Your Goal: As a health coach I am often asking my clients to align their lives in ways that support their health and happiness.  And it’s the small sustainable steps that get us moving, and keep us moving in this direction.  For example if you are really looking to clean up your diet, why not start by cleaning out your pantry.  Or if you are wanting to move to a different area of town, why not take drives frequently to explore neighborhoods.   Or if you are wanting to change jobs, why not go ahead and update your resume.  If we wait for life to happen we are not in the flow, we are in the grind.  Begin to manifest your destiny by taking forward steps.

Cultivate the Feeling of what you Want:  Spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation allow us to find our true nature, or self-realization.  When we are grounded in this reality we can generate tremendous energy that is aligned with the universe.  So harness the feeling of the intended outcome, and send that vibration and intention out to the universe.  For example if you want to find a higher paying job cultivate the feeling of abundance and shine that on all that you do.  Find abundance in your life as it is and the vibration will grow to help you support a new level of abundance.

Do the Work: Even if you are not seeing the manifested outcome yet, still put in energy, focus and attention towards your goal.  We put in what we get out.  So show up and do the work, even if you would rather be watching TV.  Whether it is through meditating, journaling or practicing yoga to find our true nature and our true longings we always have to be present and show up.

Cultivate Patience:  Patience is one of the most challenging attributes to cultivate.  But with patience we can allow life to flow without trying to control all aspects.  If timing isn’t on your side it is probably for a good reason, and maybe even a life-saving reason.  Just keep taking the small sustainable steps and you will get where you want to go at the right time.   Patience keeps us from jumping into situations that are not in our best interest, but we can’t see clearly if we are too quick to make a move.

MARYVILLE YOGA SHALA UPDATES

Upcoming Workshops

Sound Meditation Workshop with Chris Savell

Sun Date: Dec 02 2018 From: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

During a Sound Meditation Workshop participants can expect an immersive experience using the sounds of the Gong, steel drum, tuning forks, and specially selected music allowing body to find its natural balance while creating space for insight. People often find resolution for emotional issues and a sense of coming home to themselves.

* cost $20 pre-registration/ $30 at the door (pending space availability)
* herbal tea and conversation will be served afterwards.

* bring your favorite pillow, wear your most comfortable clothes, lay back, and relax fully.

Feng Shui Fundamentals 1: Balance with Martha Vargas

Date: Sun Jan 06 2019 From: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Become more conscious of the impact of what we keep around us, with empowering Feng Shui techniques to bring more balance into our lives.  This workshop focuses on balancing Chi, Ying-Yang energies and the cyclical energies of the Five Elements for better health and well-being.

* $25 per class or $60 for the three-part series.

* Wear comfortable clothing.

Yoga On Wheels: Back Bends with Jennifer Beyt Coffin

Date: Sun Jan 13 2019 From: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Leverage your strengths and set yourself up for success through work on the yoga wheel.  There is an impressive variety of ways of accessing core strength, developing flexibility and cultivating deep awareness using a yoga wheel.  Whether you are a die hard yogi or fairly new to the practice of yoga, this workshop will help you discover new ways of using your body more efficiently.

The wheel really shines as a useful tool for all kinds of back bends.  It serves as a guide for learning how to back bend in healthy ways that will translate into pain-free back bending in your personal practice.

This outstanding prop helps to address tension and muscular restriction in the back, chest, shoulders, abdomen, groins, and hip flexors that can often restrict back bending.  Get a better grasp on more subtle concepts like how to access the groin and psoas.

* No wheel?  No worries!  12 wheels are available for use or your can bring your own.

* Wear yoga clothes

* Bring your mat and water.

* Cost $35 pre-registration, $40 day of, or $95 for all three wheel workshops.

UPCOMING NOURISH YOUR HEALTH CLASSES

CLEAN EATING PROGRAM IS BACK!

Join Health Coach Amanda Myers in a New-Year’s two-week reset Jan 7-20th.

Clean Eating is:

• A diet based on seasonal, colorful, nutrient-dense foods.
• More alkaline forming foods versus acidic forming foods.
• These meals include vegetables cooked or “dressed” with healthy fats, a smart amount of high-quality protein and low-glycemic carbohydrates.
• Food that makes you feel good, light and “clean”
• No refined flours or grains, no added sugars, no trans-fats, no gluten, no nitrates, chemical additives, colors or dyes, no GMO’s, no over processed foods.
• Limited dairy: only hormone-free, full-fat goat or sheep’s milk cheeses, ghee and or raw cow’s milk products.

You will be supplied weekly menus with corresponding recipes and grocery lists.  The meal plan will have two meals a day, (breakfast and dinner) and two snack options.  You will have carryover meals that will serve as the next days lunch or give space to provide an opportunity for an away from home meal.

The cost for this program is $60 for two weeks.  Weekly menus are emailed Friday Jan 4th and 11th so you can shop and food prep over the weekend.   Depending on the number and location of participants we will either schedule one 60 minute group meeting or you will receive one 30-minute phone-coaching session during the program for Q&A and support.

During this clean eating program you do cook the majority of your own food! The purpose of this is
a) so you know what is in your food
b) you understand what it takes to keep yourself well-fed
c) you will form new habits food prepping and cooking that will go beyond the 14 days
d) you rekindle or find the pleasure of cooking your own healthful meals

Benefits of a Clean eating Program:

• Weight Loss
• Better Sleep
• Clearer Skin
• Lowered Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
• Improved Eating and Lifestyle Habits

Until the next Nourishing Newsletter…..

My plan is to stay close to this newsletter, but I will not be as driven by the deadline as I was this year…i.e it might not be as frequently written.  Please keep up with me on Facebook on both the Nourish Your Health and Maryville Yoga Shala pages.  I wish you all a healthy, happy, joyous start to 2019!  Here is to living our best lives!

“Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”  translated to mean “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”

XO Amanda

http://www.nourishyh.com

nourishyh@gmail.com